todb: StSoL First round

The settings for our third live multiplayer are:

Simultaneous Turns
Takeover AI
Choose Religions
Permanent Alliances
Large World
Custom Continents (4, Medium Sea Level, Cylindrical World Wrap)
Six Humans
Six AIs

I don't want to give away too much intel on my own civ just yet, but here are some mostly public info hilights:

* I started about two hours late, so I coopted an AI civ, basically at random. In this case, I've possessed the Dutch. In order to explain the sudden smartness and new dangerousness of the Dutch in-game, I've taken the role of "J'onn J'onzz," an otherworldly interloper and meddler in human affairs. (For reasons why this is appropriate see this Wikipedia article). Yeah, I'm a sucker for roleplaying in boardgames.

* The large map has produced a lot of terrain uniformity. I have lots of plains. Lots and lots of plains. And basically no rivers. So my population growth is going to take some creative city placement. Milo has complained of his endless ice sheets, and Jaammmesss is reportedly stuck in Dagobah.

* The land surplus also appears to have generated a massive infestation of barbarians. I rarely have to worry about barbarians; in this game, wiping them out is my first order of business. And you don't seem to get Great General points for killing them. Bummer!

So, it looks like the defining features of this game is the sheer worldsize, and our collective lack of experience in worlds larger than the standard Medium.

I'm looking forward to shepherding these pathetic Dutch to greatness. They were quite lost before the influx of Martian culture, believe me.